“As a significant portion of America’s deterrent capability, Air Force global strike provides the Nation the ability to project military power more rapidly, more flexibly, and with a lighter footprint than other military options. The Air Force’s nuclear deterrent and conventional precision strike forces can credibly deny adversary objectives or impose unacceptable costs by effectively holding any target on the planet at risk and, if necessary, disabling or destroying targets promptly, even from bases in the continental United States. Global strike may entail close support to troops at risk, interdicting enemy fielded forces, or striking an adversary’s vital centers from great distances. Credible long-range strike capabilities are indispensable for deterrence and provide fundamental military capabilities to underpin U.S. military power.”
- USAF Posture Statement 20134 As a warfighting Component MAJCOM (C-MAJCOM) to United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), AFGSC forces will execute assigned deterrence, assurance, and global strike missions. In addition, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) is charged to organize, train, and equip (OT&E) both nuclear and conventional combat forces for the President of the United States and combatant commanders (CCDRs). Specifically, AFGSC provides on-demand, agile combat power to CCDRs specializing in strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations.
Purpose
The 2014 AFGSC Strategic Master Plan (SMP) outlines the strategic vision and priorities for our command to move forward with presentation, employment, sustainment, and modernization of global strike capabilities. The AFGSC SMP is the primary means by which the Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, communicates his strategic vision and priorities to the command to support the President and the CCDRs. The AFGSC SMP charts a course for mission accomplishment in a dynamic operating environment. The command priorities support the achievement of objectives outlined in the 2013 USAF Posture Statement, 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance (DSG), 2011 National Military Strategy (NMS) and a variety of higher headquarters guidance documents, to include the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and 2010 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR).
4 USAF Posture Statement: April 2013. Department of the Air Force, April 2013, 13.
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AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND 2014 STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN
The AFGSC SMP also describes the current strategic environment and identifies future challenges. These challenges provide the necessary boundaries to ensure realistic solutions to complex problems, especially in light of demanding requirements and constrained resources. Given these challenges, the AFGSC SMP provides strategic guidance, the command’s vision, and a mission statement to establish a clear understanding of the command's purpose and direction and aid in command goal development. The AFGSC strategic priorities originate from our vision and values. AFGSC command goals will align with the strategic priorities; they will be published separately and supported by subordinate goals. All AFGSC personnel, from our most senior commanders to our youngest airmen, should use this document and the command's priorities found herein as the foundation for their activities.
Command Overview
“In our nuclear inventory we have two-thirds of the triad that provides nuclear deterrence to the United States of America. That's a huge responsibility. ... It's a big deal for us. We can't afford to ever get this wrong.”
- General Mark A. Welsh, Chief of Staff, USAF5 AFGSC Mission Statement
“Develop and provide combat ready forces for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations…
-- Safe
-- Secure
-- Effective
to support the President of the United States and Combatant Commanders.”
Our mission rests upon individual responsibility, superior technical expertise, critical self-assessment, uncompromising adherence to directives, and respect for the worth and dignity of every Airman in the command.
AFGSC’s strategic deterrence and global strike role is a critical mission that supports national objectives and the Air Force’s mission to “fly, fight, and win…in air, space, and cyberspace.”
The AFGSC Vision
American Airmen with special trust and responsibility for the most powerful weapons in our Nation’s arsenal… an elite, highly disciplined team… a model command.
AFGSC Commander’s Intent
Continue to strengthen the nuclear enterprise while modernizing both nuclear and conventional global strike capabilities. To accomplish our mission, we must keep in mind four priorities:
1. Deter our adversaries and assure our allies with a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent;
2. Win the current fight around the globe;
3. Continue to strengthen and empower the team to accomplish the mission;
4. Shape the future by providing modern nuclear and conventional global strike capabilities to the President and the combatant commanders.
The disciplined execution of current operations in support of USSTRATCOM and the CCDRs and the ongoing effort to establish a culture that embraces the special trust and responsibility of nuclear weapons are critical for the success of AFGSC. AFGSC will provide highly disciplined Airmen, in both nuclear and conventional mission sets, to the President and CCDRs. To enable this objective, AFGSC will support deliberate efforts to develop professional Airmen, promote resiliency, and strengthen expertise in nuclear and conventional global strike operations. We will accomplish this by instilling a culture that is both strictly compliant and appropriately innovative. Following our leaders and procedures to the letter is the very fabric of nuclear operations. At the same time, frank self-assessment, innovation, and systemic improvement are indispensable to developing our people and improving our quality of life, and will provide the efficiencies to sustain our efforts to complete our exacting mission.
AFGSC must continue to sustain and modernize assigned weapons systems and support infrastructure to ensure there is a viable and visible deterrent and global strike capability well into the future. These efforts are crucial components of AFGSC’s ability to ensure strategic stability, deter the nation’s adversaries, and assure US allies and partners.
5 Gen Mark A. Welsh, Chief of Staff, US Air Force. Address. Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Washington, DC, 18 September 2012.
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2014 STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN
Command Values
Individual responsibility, self-assessment, adherence, expertise, pride, respect, safety, resilience, and innovation are characteristic values of AFGSC. Taken together, these values will focus the actions of each individual to ensure that AFGSC upholds the Air Force core values of “Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.” As individuals, we must internalize and exemplify these values. As a team, we will expect them of each other to enable our confidence and cohesion. As a command, we recognize their fundamental importance and will ensure we uphold these standards consistently and fairly.
AFGSC values are:
1. Individual responsibility for mission success
Our work is a team effort, but that work depends on each individual—from the commander to the newest Airman—
doing his or her part by performing in a broad range of challenging environments. Every action contributes to the command’s success.
2. Critical self-assessment of our performance
“…to establish and sustain an uncompromising standard of excellence in nuclear operations. This will require hands-on leadership, at all levels, to instill a strong culture of compliance that internalizes precision, reliability, and critical self-assessment.”6
3. Uncompromising adherence to directives
The Commander’s intent for this value can only be met by adopting a culture where strict compliance is the standard.
4. Superior technical and weapons system expertise
“The mission of safeguarding our vital nuclear capabilities and maintaining our nuclear deterrence mission requires the
sharpest focus on excellence and unwavering adherence to precision and reliability. One might even say that, in the business of nuclear weapons, there ‘is no room for error.’” 7
5. Persistent innovation at all levels
AFGSC will continue to further the Air Force legacy of innovation, position the command to take full advantage of opportunities to improve, and enable innovations that secure tomorrow’s future.
6. Pride in our nuclear heritage and mission
“…from heritage and experience, we expect [Air Force] Global Strike Command to carry forward a renewed commitment to the highest standards of professionalism, excellence, and nuclear expertise to guide the new generation of Airmen overseeing our nation's most critical military mission.”8
7. Respect for the worth and dignity of every Airman
AFGSC is committed to ensuring our people are afforded the respect and developmental opportunities they deserve.
8. Safety in all things large…and small
Safety is everyone's responsibility, on and off duty, and fundamental to our mission. AFGSC has a special trust and responsibility for the most powerful weapons in our nation's arsenal and part of that responsibility is to keep our most critical asset, our people, safe and mission ready.9
These command values guide our Airmen through the many challenges of operating within the unique environment of Air Force Global Strike Command.
6 Michael B. Donley, Secretary of the Air Force. Address. AFGSC activation ceremony, Barksdale AFB LA, 7 August 2009.
7 Gen Norton A. Schwartz, Chief of Staff, US Air Force. Address. AFGSC activation ceremony, Barksdale AFB LA, 7 August 2009.
8 Donley, Address, 7 August 2009.
9 Lt Gen James M. Kowalski, Critical Days of Summer Memo to AFGSC Personnel, 24 May 2011.
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AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND 2014 STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN
Organizational Structure
Air Force Global Strike Command is charged to provide combat forces for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations to the President and the CCDRs. AFGSC is comprised of two Numbered Air Forces—the Eighth and the Twentieth—and maintains five Air Force bases. There are over 25,000 personnel in the command who operate, maintain, and support 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), 24 UH-1N helicopters and 96 long-range, nuclear-capable bombers. Figure 1 is a graphic depiction of the units and forces that belong to or support AFGSC.
The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units that support the command as part of the Air Force’s Total Force Enterprise (TFE) are also found in Figure 1.
HQ AFGSC, HQ 8AF, 2 BW [B-52s], 608 AOC, 608 STOS,
307 BW (AFRC) Barksdale AFB 576 FLTS (DRU)
Vandenberg AFB
[ICBM Test] HQ 20 AF, 90 MW [ICBMs, UH-1Ns], Missile Engineer Office (DRU)
FE Warren AFB 341 MW [ICBMs, UH-1Ns]
Malmstrom AFB
5 BW [B-52s], 91 MW [ICBMs, UH-1Ns], 219 SFS (ANG)
Minot AFB
625 STOS Offutt AFB
509 BW [B-2s, T-38s], 131 BW (ANG)
Whiteman AFB AFGSC Det 1 (DRU)
Langley AFB [ACC Liaison]
102 AOG (ANG) Otis ANGB
AFGSC Base AFGSC GSUs
620 GCTS Camp Guernsey
AFGSC-OL J (DRU) Hill AFB
Figure 1. AFGSC Unit Locations